I have collated a few short narratives on cases which illustrate some of our case management approaches. We teach from the Organon and other respected sources at Allen College.
Related Remedy
A case of Nat Mur: A woman around 60 years, resentful about her mother abandoning her as a child. She likes salt, has water retention and is quite closed. A bit of stiffness in the joints especially on going up stairs. When her mother left the family home the patient was around 5 years old and subsequently refused to walk or found difficulty walking as. Recently (2022) she had an acute episode of swollen knee joints, with burning, difficulty on going upstairs and stinging which called for Apis Mel.
The patient was thrilled to report her reduced swelling and pain but most of all reported the past thoughts of both abandonment and resentment towards her mother had been lifted. We note that Apis Mel can be the chronic of Nat Mur.
Nosode – Similimum
It is tempting to use a nosode if we have a recognised disease as a cause for the current complaint. We need to ensure there is a tangible correlation between the cause and the current complaint or we will be led astray.
A case of blurred vision with inflammation especially on waking. Pain in the back with pain and aching in the legs. Tired feeling with an uncharacteristic restlessness. The patient had some weakness following an outbreak of shingles of the left facial nerves some months before. She is 71 years old, mild character with frequent sinus infections. The combination of history, ophthalmia and severe backache led me to Variolinum 200C, which gave the patient immense relief in a few days.
Potency Selection
Some authors suggest that if the medicine selection is correct, the potency is not so important. However in my experience I find the simillimum includes both the most similar medicine and potency, thereby leading to most curative results.
A post virus weakness in a man aged 79 years. Lean, chilly with diagnosis of angina for some years. He neglected the fever and virus for some time over the Christmas period (2022) and was left with a striking cough, > bending forwards, hoarseness and wheezing.
Burning sensation with dry croupy sound, < lying down and in the evening. He stated his energy was 3/10 whereas his energy on a good day was usually a 6 or 7/10. Given the poor debilitated state I prescribed Spongia Q. 10 drops in water 3 times a day.
His cough was resolved in 4 days after a period of 3 weeks of coughing. However, his energy remained at a 3 or 4/10 and he was sleeping 12 hours at night and not doing much at all in the day. Given the viral fever and cough were gone, I felt he needed a recuperative medicine.
He had energy for a potency now. His chilliness, anxiety and desire for fresh air and depletion from fever led to found Chininum Ars as a good simillimum for him. ‘Weariness and prostration, a good tonic’ Boericke. 6C has provided a good source of support for him.
Labour – timely prescription which impressed the midwife.
A young woman who had been prepared well for her labour, delivered a healthy baby girl on time, in a birthing pool, at home with her partner, mother and midwife present. The labour had been well managed with breathing, hypno-birth methods, and a calm environment with no pharmaceutical intervention.
However, the placenta was reluctant to be delivered. Third stage was going on towards an hour long and the midwife wanted to give the routine Oxytocin. However, a dose of Secale 30C was given both on the indication of its expulsive action and the pain in the back. 10 mins later a healthy placenta was delivered, and the midwife went on her way, shaking her head in pleasant surprise. No doubt thinking it was a ’coincidence’.
Characteristic Symptoms
Remedies often have a signature or characteristic which not only help us remember its action but can be applied most effectively if we see such a case. It was a case of a 9-year- old girl with chronic constipation since birth, with no relief from any purgative or dietary change. Any temporary relief was obtained from periodic mechanical evacuation by surgeons. (ACE procedure) and nightly enemas. The gastric consultant at the Royal London Hospital offered a colectomy with a colostomy bag for life.
The girl’s Father was very distressed at this suggestion which was conveyed to his daughter and compounded her distress about repeated anaesthetics and procedures.
I prescribed Plumbum 200C on the basis of:
| Doctrine-
Plumbum – lead. ….. Lead pipe Rigid Black Inert Toxic |
The specific details are as follows:
Foul smelling stool; inactivity; some staining of underwear; black stool; trapped wind or explosive painful, offensive flatus; worse pressure; slow in the classroom; slow to develop; excess salivation; pressure headache < reading; colic sensation.
The other parts of the case which were marked was the grief from a grandmother’s death at age 6 years and the marked unwillingness to talk to me directly. I felt in order to obtain her confidence I would continue to address her whilst being aware that her anxious father would supply the information.
I chose to ignore the anxiety and the bereavement, as the problem started so young. I chose Plumbum and the case has progressed slowly. A support medicine of Nyctanthes Q has been given intermittently. The patient has been with me for 9 years and we have progressed slowly with ascending potencies. Since Plumbum she has had no further mechanical removal of faeces, has kept her colon intact and is studying accountancy. A success for a committed patient who avoided the mutilation of a colectomy.
Don’t forget the small ones, a short story to finish
A woman of 34 years needed to travel for work and had been unwell for a few days. Excruciating backache; pain deep in the muscles of the right arm; aching in the lower limbs which were only better with warmth; congestion of the head. Lycopersicum 30C enabled her to fly for her work appointment within 36 hours.
Short cases can give the impression of the wonderful work homoeopathic medicine can do.
Janet Banerjea RSHom
Homoeopath since 1991, teacher since 1992.
Allen College of Homeopathy
England
Tel & Fax No. 44 (0) 1245 505859
https://allencollege.co.uk/
